It had been mentioned before that this world was incredibly vast, with a setting far grander than what Riezel had seen so far.
Even though this time, Riezel's dimensional travel had brought him to Faerie Britain, a Lostbelt, Faerie Britain was only one of many Lostbelts in this world.
In other words, the collapse occurring here, which had a disastrous effect on Proper Human History, was just one among countless disasters threatening humanity.
It was precisely because of this that an organization like Chaldea, dedicated to safeguarding human history, had come into existence.
Its purpose was to repair the foundation of humanity, protect Proper Human History, and ensure its survival and development in the face of various threats.
For a Master like Ritsuka, encountering events that threatened Proper Human History was nothing new.
Before coming to this Lostbelt called Faerie Britain, Ritsuka had already faced many such crises—some even more perilous than the one threatening Faerie Britain.
Not just one, Ritsuka had repaired multiple Singularities that could have had disastrous impacts on humanity and had cut off five Lostbelts that endangered the continued existence of Proper Human History before Faerie Britain, so to him, such events were no longer unusual.
Yet, every one of Ritsuka's brilliant victories meant that a disaster had once occurred.
Beryl Gut was merely an enemy of Chaldea and could not even be considered a true disaster to Proper Human History.
However, Koyanskaya was different.
She was a true disaster.
She was humanity's enemy.
She was one of the seven calamities rejected by human history, an existence known as an 'Evil of Humanity.'
As for what the Evils of Humanity were, they referred to incarnations of disasters that threatened human history, disasters capable of destroying mankind that were born from human civilization itself and grew ever stronger alongside humanity's development.
They would corrode civilization from within, akin to a cancer in the world.
They were humanity's stain, the sludge settling within human history, evils that must be destroyed by humanity itself.
They were born of mankind's bestial nature, which was why people called them 'Beasts.'
If Heroic Spirits were beings who responded to the call of the world and mankind in times of crisis, fighting to protect humanity and the world, then Evils of Humanity were their opposite, existing solely to destroy mankind and the world.
It could be said that the relationship between the Evils of Humanity and the summoning of Heroic Spirits was like that between humanity's self-destruction mechanism and its safety device—completely opposite in nature.
Koyanskaya was one of the Evils of Humanity, known as the Beast of Cherishment, Beast IV.
More precisely, she was a juvenile form of Beast IV—an incomplete Evil of Humanity, not yet a fully formed Beast IV.
Yet, even incomplete, when this Juvenile Beast revealed her true nature, she remained a terrifying disaster capable of threatening all of humanity.
Chaldea had once faced two fully formed Beasts: Beast I, who governed the Principle of Pity, and Beast II, who wielded the Law of Recurrence.
One of these Beasts had incinerated all of human history, turning the earth into a sea of flames, while the other had rampaged at the end of the Age of Gods, nearly eradicating all life.
To defeat those two Beasts, Chaldea had overcome countless obstacles and received the aid of many heroic figures. Only by surviving desperate circumstances had they managed to finally defeat both Beasts.
In other words, these were not enemies a single person or even a single organization could hope to defeat—perhaps not even all of humanity, unless they gathered every possible condition and all the strength they could muster from human history itself, joining forces with one will.
Otherwise, there could be no chance of victory.
Now, one of these terrifying existences had appeared before Riezel.
*BOOM!*
When the world itself let out a wailing roar, a pitch-black storm began to form.
That was a curse unlike the one from Moss.
That was the manifestation of power from another dimension.
In no time, the terrifying black storm, like darkness devouring the world, spread rapidly outward from Koyanskaya as its center.
"Watch out!"
"Everyone, get over here!"
"Not good!"
Artoria and the others shouted in alarm, but before anyone could even act, the pitch-black storm swallowed the world, dragging everything into darkness.
As the black storm raged within the darkness, the howling wind drowned out everyone's voices.
Riezel's expression grew grim, his eyes growing more serious.
At this moment, he felt an unprecedented pressure and a deadly crisis unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
In the past, the more dangerous the predicament, the more Riezel would feel excitement. Even when facing enemies stronger than himself and in the worst situations, he would feel a rush of adrenaline, driven by his instincts and desires, never retreating but always charging forward into danger, fighting to the bitter end.
But this time, despite feeling a pressure like never before and a deadly crisis he had never known, Riezel realized he could not summon any excitement at all.
He knew this was because the threat before him was not a danger aimed at him alone, but a catastrophe targeting the entire world and all of humanity.
He could sense, feel, and completely understand that malice, hostility, and murderous intent were directed equally at the whole of humankind.
In other words, in the eyes of this enemy, he was not an individual, but merely one insignificant part of all humanity.
"Pity, protection, affection, contempt, slaughter, tenderness."
"Sometimes exterminating with fire, sometimes toying with a careless hand."
"This is what you humans are, what your species is."
"That is why the Beast of Cherishment could be born, and why it sits upon your end."
In the darkness, the breathtakingly beautiful fox woman seemed to dissolve and disappear with the sweeping storm.
In her place appeared a giant Beast, hidden in the shadows and beneath the storm, its full form unseen, its body invisible, only its many tails swaying.
"This is a Beast's roar."
"This is a Beast's weeping."
"Beast IV, Beast of Cherishment, Tamamo Vitch Koyanskaya, now descends upon you."
"Humanity, feel despair."
When this distant voice echoed as if from all creation, the Beast hidden in the darkness vanished.
"!!!"
Everyone present, Riezel included, felt a bone-chilling fear rise in their hearts.
"Bad!"
"Danger!"
Da Vinci and Tristan, already sensing the danger, cried out, faces ashen.
"Ugh!"
Artoria, acting on instinct, raised the Staff of Selection, feeling she had to act.
Riezel was even quicker than the others, raising his hand before anyone else could move, yet there was someone even faster than him.
"Manifest yourself!"
Mash had already reached the front and raised her massive shield.
"Lord Camelot!"
Needless to say, she had unleashed her Noble Phantasm.
A Noble Phantasm was the ultimate armament of a Servant, a miracle given form.
It was a weapon, symbol, or technique possessed by heroes in countless legends, celebrated by people in later generations. It could be a weapon or a special skill, and its power far surpassed anything a modern magus could hope for. Once invoked, it would unleash effects just as described in the legends.
For example, King Arthur's Excalibur, famed in the modern world, was her Noble Phantasm.
A Noble Phantasm was a Servant's trump card.
A Noble Phantasm was a Servant's ultimate move.
Back in Salisbury, when Fairy Knight Lancelot was about to settle things with Riezel in a single strike, she intended to use a Noble Phantasm forged from her own power and that of the Knights of the Round Table's Lancelot.
When Fairy Knight Gawain fought Riezel in the Camelot royal palace, her gigantic transformation after breaking her horn was also a Noble Phantasm, formed by fusing her own power with Fairy Knight Gawain's strength.
Now, Mash unleashed her own Noble Phantasm, allowing the shield in her hands to reveal its true power.
*BANG!*
As Mash brought her shield down with great force, the castle engraved upon it began to glow.
A white-walled castle quickly appeared around Mash, growing outward and taking form.
Anyone who knew the tales of King Arthur knew this was the legendary castle of white walls—Camelot.
In Proper Human History, this castle was also the capital of Britain, home to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
Mash's Noble Phantasm was, in fact, the Round Table, which the Knights of the Round Table would gather around, transformed into a shield. Once activated, it summoned the heart of Camelot, providing absolute protection that could block any attack.
Because its strength resonated with the user's mind, as long as her heart remained unyielding, the castle walls would never collapse and could even reflect enemy attacks.
In an instant, Mash's Noble Phantasm protected everyone present, surrounding them within the castle walls.
*BOOOM—!!!*
Almost at the same moment, a terrifying attack struck the castle walls.
Raging like a storm and blazing like pitch-black fire, the source of the attack was unknown as it lashed out like a beast and slashed like a tail sharp as a massive blade.
When it landed upon the castle walls, not only did the entire castle of white walls shake violently, but even the world engulfed by the dark storm trembled fiercely.
"Ugh!"
Mash let out a muffled groan as blood appeared at the corner of her mouth.
"Mash!"
Da Vinci called out in alarm at the sight.
"I-I'm fine!"
Mash shouted back without turning her head, but right after, she fell to her knees.
*BOOOM—!*
An unidentified attack suddenly crashed down on the castle walls once more, causing a deafening roar to reverberate throughout the pitch-black world.
*Cough!*
Mash coughed up a mouthful of blood, and her face quickly turned pale.
"Starlight!"
Artoria could not bear to watch, so she immediately used Reinforcement on Mash.
"Dia Fratel!"
Riezel also activated a chantless spell, sending particles of green light into Mash's body.
*BOOOM—!*
*BOOOM—!*
*BOOOM—!*
However, the onslaught did not cease as the unknown attack battered the white walls over and over, intent on destroying, shattering, and tearing them apart.
Judging by the force of the blows, Riezel could say with certainty that, without any defensive measures, even he would be gravely injured and collapse on the spot if hit directly.
Mash was a Shielder-class Servant who specialized in defense, so when it came to pure defense, none present could compare. In fact, to Riezel's memory, among all the people he had encountered so far, none could match Mash's current level of defense.
Yet even so, after using her Noble Phantasm, Mash was still easily hurt.
No, that was not right.
It was precisely because she used her Noble Phantasm that Mash alone was injured.
Riezel remembered that Mash's Noble Phantasm, while incredibly strong and capable of blocking even attacks that could wipe out the surface of the planet as long as she did not give up, did not protect Mash herself.
In other words, Mash could protect everyone except herself, so right now, she alone was enduring the attack from the Juvenile Beast.
"O word spirits, fulfill my wish."
"Veil of the woods - my name is Alf."
"Liv Ilusio."
"Assemble, breath of the land - my name is Alf."
"Veil Breath."
Riezel cast both 'Liv Ilusio' and 'Veil Breath' on Mash without a second thought, then continued casting other magic spells.
"Sanctuary Protection."
"Field of Force."
"Reinforce Armor."
"Harden Steel."
"Indomitability."
"Infinity Wall."
"Greater Hardening."
"Mantle of Chaos."
"Protection from Evil."
"Elemental Form - Holy."
He unleashed defensive magic on Mash one after another, causing her defenses to soar rapidly, visible to the naked eye.
*BOOOM—!*
*BOOOM—!*
*BOOOM—!*
As the relentless attacks continued to hammer the castle walls, shaking both the castle and the world cloaked in darkness, Mash, now shining with magical energy, gradually realized she could withstand the enemy's assault thanks to Riezel, who kept casting defensive magic on her.
"How are you holding up? Can you keep going?"
Riezel placed a hand on Mash's shoulder, gazing at the girl who stood firm with her shield, protecting everyone.
"Un!"
Feeling the pressure lessen and her wounds slowly heal, Mash turned to meet Riezel's eyes and nodded resolutely.
Riezel nodded with a faint smile, but that smile vanished from his face a moment later.
*BANG!*
In the next instant, Riezel disappeared from where he stood, transforming into a flash of fire that soared upward.
Soon, the fire illuminated the darkness, driving away the storm as it rose from the castle of white walls like a star of hope, shooting toward the Beast hidden in the shadows.
*BOOOM—!!!*
As Riezel's black sword fell, purifying crimson flames descended from the sky and crashed down onto the Beast.
*ROOOAAAAAARRR—!!!*
A roar that shook the world echoed up to the heavens.